Prompt: In-class essay on Sebastian Junger's War

Your in-class essay will challenge your ability to gather what you know about Sebastian Junger’s book, War, in order to apply this quote from Sun Tzu's Art of War:

Knowing the other and knowing yourself,

In one hundred battles, no danger.

Not knowing the other, knowing oneself,

One victory for one loss.

Not knowing the other, not knowing oneself,

In every battle, certain defeat.

Think of this when reading Junger’s portrait of young American soldiers who are thousands of miles from home in the remote Korengal Valley of Afghanistan. Who are these young men? Why are they in the Korengal in the first place? Are they old enough to understand themselves and the war they are fighting? Are these the “heroes” we hear about? Is it enough that they’re fighting for each other? Do they understand that they are on the front line of a war that the entire planet is looking at?

Junger offers a glimpse of the stress and hardship of constant if not always deadly fire from Taliban soldiers, of rugged, harsh conditions, little contact with the world, and incredible boredom. Village elders complain about collateral damage they’ve suffered in firefights. They seem to regard the Americans as if they just walked in from another galaxy. Do they listen to plans for soldier-villager projects? Do they care about the virtues of a U.S.-installed government? What is the relationship between the villagers and the Taliban? 

Think about Sun Tzu’s statement, and find examples of how it applies to the soldiers of Battle Company and the Taliban. There are no right and wrong answers, but you must go through the text and provide examples to back up what you believe.

Your paper should be 400-500 words long, and it must have a clear thesis statement. You must write an outline before starting the essay (and turn it in), and then you must use the outline to organize your paper. Remember that the best essay writing features, clear, concise sentences that say the most with the fewest words. 

You’ll have approximately 90 minutes for the mid-term.

Reading Presentation Guidelines: Non-Fiction

Guidelines for Reading Analysis Presentations 1 

Each student must complete a written and oral analysis five times. Each presentation is worth 4% of your grade.

Make a note of the article titles and presentation dates that you sign up for below. To receive credit, you must complete the written section of the assignment and participate in the presentation of your analysis. You will be graded primarily on your written analysis (breakdown of scoring below), but outstanding presentations will be rewarded. If you fail to hand in the written analysis when you present – or if you fail to present when you deliver your written work – you will not receive credit. If you forget you signed up, you will not receive credit. There are no makeup exceptions.

You will be presenting your analysis in class along with two to five of your classmates. The class will be counting on you to be on top of the article you are covering, so please be prepared!

Read the article you will be analyzing carefully. If possible, read it twice. On your first reading, just try to identify the main idea(s) and get a feel for the writer’s approach and the flow of the piece. On your second reading, go over the text more carefully; notice how the writer constructs his or her argument. You will probably want to mark up your text and/or take notes.

To prepare your written analysis:

Identify the author’s name and the title of the article. Answer the following questions. Put your answers in outline form (see sample analysis on the reverse side of this sheet).

1.     What is the central claim (or thesis) of the selection? Your answer should be a complete sentence in your own words (not a quote!). Be as specific as possible, but remember that your claim should cover the whole article. (25%)

2.     Is the central claim expressed explicitly or implicitly? The claim is explicit if the writer spells out what it is. The claim is implicit if the writer only implies the claim but does not state it outright. (5%)

3.     What reasons link the evidence to the claim? In other words, why does the evidence support the claim? Reasons may be presented explicitly or implied. (20%)

4.     What evidence does the writer present to support his or her claim? Specify and categorize the evidence (e.g. examples, personal experiences, analogy, authoritative opinion, facts, statistical data, cause-effect reasoning, results of scientific experiments, comparison, interviews, etc. – see sample on back). Do not answer this question with detailed quotes or paraphrases from the article! For additional guidance, see the table of Kinds of Evidence on pp. 91-4 of your textbook Writing Arguments. (25%)

5.     Comment briefly on the persuasiveness of the article by answering one or more of the following questions.  (25%)

·       Is the argument convincing? Does it rely on emotional, ethical, and/or logical appeals?

·       Are there flaws in the reasoning of the argument? Does it rely on questionable sources?

·       Does understanding the argument require knowledge of the historical or cultural context in which it was written?

·       How do the style, organization, and/or tone contribute or detract from the persuasiveness of the argument?

·       What is your personal reaction to the article?

HERE IS A SAMPLE ANALYSIS of “The Myth of ‘Practice Makes Perfect’” by Annie Murphy Paul. Read this to see how a good paper is prepared.

Central claim: Mastery of a skill demands deliberate practice, focusing on improving weak areas, rather than just spending time repeating the activity (Explicit).

Reason: Improvement at a skill only occurs when the practitioner works to notice and eliminate errors through practice.

Evidence:

• Authoritative opinion from cognitive psychologist Gary Marcus argues that deliberate practice is much more effective than unfocused just-for-pleasure practice.
• Marcus cites studies that show that working to improve weaknesses is more likely to result in improvement than just spending more time practicing.
• Authoritative opinion from a 1993 Anders Ericsson paper suggests that although practice focusing on fixing errors may not be the most enjoyable, it is probably the most effective.
• Research on practice sessions of pianists published in the Journal of Research in Music Education indicates that the best pianists put a stronger focus on immediately fixing
• errors so they do not occur again. 

Comment: The argument is fairly persuasive because, as presented, it makes good logical sense (logos = logical appeal) and basically validates my personal experiences. The results of the studies on the musicians’ practices made the argument much more credible (ethos = ethical appeal) and convincing to me. In fact, I would have liked hearing about the studies in more detail. I liked the author’s use of the example of learning to play an instrument because I could relate to it (pathos = emotional appeal) and it made the argument more “real” for me. Perhaps, for the same reason, the article might be less interesting and compelling to someone without any formal musical experience.

Reading Presentation Prompt: fiction

On the day that you present in front of the class you must also write your response to the questions below and hand in your answers. You must hand in your answers on the day you signed up for.

Reading Analysis Guide for Sebastian Junger’s War.

Guidelines for Reading Analysis Presentation

Sign-up on the presentation calendar on my desk. Make a note of the chapters and presentation date that you sign up for below.

Reading analysis chapter: __________________________Presentation date: _______________

You will be presenting your analysis in class along with other classmates. The class will be counting on you to be on top of the article you are covering, so please be prepared!

This assignment is worth 40 points – to receive credit, you must participate in the presentation of your analysis. You will be graded primarily on your written analysis (breakdown of scoring below), but outstanding presentations will be rewarded.

Read the chapters or section that you will be analyzing carefully. On your first reading, just try to identify the main idea(s) and get a feel for the writer’s approach and the flow of the chapter. On your second reading, go over the text more carefully; notice how the writer creates characters and tells the story.

To prepare your written analysis:

Identify the author’s name and the title of the chapter(s) you are covering. Answer the following questions, numbering each answer in the way the questions are numbered.

1.     What is the central theme of the selection? Your answer should be a complete sentence in your own words (not a quote!). Be as specific as possible, but remember that the theme of a book refers to the authors overall concerns. The plot is what happens as the book moves ahead. The theme refers to the overall concerns of a book.

2.     What are the concerns of the characters in the chapter(s) you have read? This book is fiction. Do you think the events in the book could happen in real life? Do you think the way the characters act is believable. If the events in the book are exaggerated by the author, does it make the book less effective? If the behavior of the characters are exaggerated, does it make the book less believable or effective?

3.     Is the central theme expressed explicitly or implicitly? The claim is explicit if the writer spells out what it is. The claim is implicit if the writer only implies the claim but does not state it outright.

4.   Did the events and actions in your chapter(s) surprise you or change your mind about the characters in the book?

4.     What is the tone – the feel – of the chapter(s) you read?

5.     What things in the story give the most insight into human nature?

6.     Does the writer leave the opinions and feelings to the readers? If so, why? Is this approach effective?

Syllabus Eng 103

English 103 – Critical and Argumentative Writing

Course Syllabus

Instructor: Tommy Amano-Tompkins                                     Term: Spring 2015

Section: 23812 – MW 5:00 pm -7:50 pm                                           Location: LA-103       

Office hours: W 4:20-4:50 pm in LA 239

Email: tomp99@earthlink.net (best way to communicate with me outside of class!)

Website: www.caliteacheng103sp15.blogspot.com

Prerequisite: English 100 or equivalent with a grade of Pass or “C” or higher or satisfactory completion of the Advanced Placement English examination of the College Entrance Examination Board.

Course Description:

This course develops critical thinking, reading, and writing beyond the level achieved in ENGL 100 (Freshman Composition). The course focused on the development of logical reasoning and analytical and argumentative writing skills.

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Employ the writing process in order to understand and complete the writing task
• Employ critical thinking concepts to evaluate arguments
• Employ critical thinking concepts to write coherent, logical arguments
• Demonstrate critical engagement with outside sources
• Write in prose style characterized by clarity, complexity, and variety
• Adhere to the conventions of standard written English, including MLA format
• Use the Internet as a tool for research and for participating in class activities and study.

Required Texts: (available at the campus bookstore)

Patterns for College Writing: A Rhetorical Reader and Guide by Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandell – ISBN: 0312676840

The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien – ISBN: 0618706410

War by Sebastian Junger – ISBN: 9780446556248

Home by Toni Morrison – ISBN: 0307740919

The Iliad by Homer, translated by Robert Fagles – ISBN: 0140275363

You will also need to purchase two blue exam books for in-class essays.

Bring your books, a notebook (or notebook paper), and a pen to every class meeting. To complete some assignments, you will need access to the Internet and to a computer word processor.

Students who succeed in English 103 usually choose to:                        **Read carefully!**

• Make a serious commitment to succeeding in this class.
• Come to class on time and prepared.
• Get the required texts as soon as possible.
• Do all the assignments, including readings, and keep up with the class schedule.
• Participate in class discussions and activities.
• Refrain from using their cell phones during class.
• Let me know immediately if they experience a problem with the class or if other areas of their lives seriously interfere with their ability to do their class work.
• Seek out all legitimate help with their course work, if they need it, including the Writing Lab, Special Programs & Services, campus librarians, their textbooks, and me.

·      Maintain academic integrity by doing their own work. They do not plagiarize; they do not cheat. (See box on plagiarism on next page.)

• Treat their classmates and instructor with respect and consideration.
• Recognize that real learning is difficult – it involves making mistakes and taking risks.

If you are not willing to make these choices, you are not likely to succeed in this class!

I will be happy to meet with you to discuss your work in this course. I encourage you to visit me during office hours, but if that is not convenient for you, we can make an appointment to meet at another time.

Plagiarism can mean copying, word for word, all or part of something someone else has written and turning it in with your name on it. Plagiarism also includes using your own words to express someone else’s ideas without crediting the source of those ideas.

Plagiarism is a very serious form of academic misconduct. It’s both lying and stealing, and it’s a waste of time for students and teachers. College and departmental policy on plagiarism will be strictly enforced: Any student caught plagiarizing will automatically receive a zero for that assignment, with no possibility of making it up, and may be subject to a formal reprimand and/or suspension.

Cite your sources! Please retain all notes and drafts of your papers until grading for the course is completed.

Attendance/Tardiness

Attendance in class is mandatory. This is the college policy. If a student is absent during the add period OR for more than 10% of the total class hours (three classes), the instructor has sufficient cause to drop that student from the class. Arriving late or leaving early will count as one half of an absence.

Grading

Your grade will be calculated as follows:

            45%     Three take-home essays

             5%      Outlines and drafts for 3 essays

            25%     Three in-class essays

            16%     Four reading analysis presentations

             5%      Thirteen quizzes

             4%      Participation

English 103 is a UC-CSU transferable course, so rigorous academic standards must be applied to grading your work. All assignments are required. In-class work, such as reading analysis presentations and quizzes, cannot be made up.

Missing assignments can significantly impact your grade and prevent you from passing the course. For example, if you fail to turn in one essay (worth 150 points) and one Reading Analysis Presentation (40 points), you will need to complete every other assignment with an average score of more than 87% in order to pass the class with a C (70%).

No late assignments will be accepted, unless an extension has been arranged with the instructor in advance. Papers may not be submitted by email except by special permission, and when permitted, it is the student’s responsibility to make sure that the paper is received and readable.

Quizzes will be given frequently throughout the term whenever substantial reading is due. Each quiz will consist of five multiple-choice questions that the instructor will read out loud. Quizzes will always be given at the beginning of the class session; students who are absent or arrive late may not make up quizzes, even if they have really good excuses.

Reading Analysis Presentation assignments: You are required to present your analysis of one of the assigned readings every few weeks for the duration of the class. There will be a sign-up sheet for each set of readings; in some cases, you may be assigned to analyze a specific reading. You must do your analysis on the reading you signed up for (or were assigned) – you may not switch to another reading without clearing it with your instructor. Your written analysis is due the day we discuss it in class (see Schedule), and you will present your findings to the class during our discussion of the reading. Late reading analyses will not be accepted. Guidelines for the reading analyses will be distributed separately.

Essays (including Research Paper) must be typed and formatted according to MLA (Modern Language Association) guidelines. For guidance, see the MLA Formatting and Style Guide at the Web site of the Purdue Online Writing Lab (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/ - link available on the course site). Papers may not be submitted by email except by special permission, and when permitted, it is the student’s responsibility to make sure that the paper is received and readable. Late papers will receive an automatic 10% point deduction and will not be accepted later than one week after the original due date. The research paper will not be accepted late!

Turnitin.com: To verify the originality of writing submitted for this class, all essays must be uploaded to Turnitin.com. Turnitin.com will generate an originality report for the instructor identifying any borrowed material in student essays (borrowed material includes correctly documented quotes, as well as plagiarized material). In order to receive full credit, students must upload their essays to Turnitin.com before class on the day the assignment is due. No essay will be graded until it is uploaded to Turnitin.com.

Go to Turnitin.com to create a student profile. Use the following information to upload your essay:

                        Class ID: 9277278                                   Enrollment password: 100103

Schedule of Topics, Readings, and Written Assignments (subject to change)

Date	Readings to be completed before class	Quizzes, exams, and major assignments
	Week 1
Mon. 3/23	Handout: Passage from Dispatches Watch documentary film Restrepo, by Sebastian Junger	Writing diagnostic
Wed. 3/25	War: Book One: Fear, pp. 1-85 *** Last day to drop class and get a full refund is March 27	Quiz 1 (Reading Analysis 1)
	Week 2
Mon. 3/30	War: Book Two: Killing, pp. 90-187	Quiz 2 (Reading Analysis 1)
Wed. 4/1	War: Book Three: Love, pp. 189-296  *** Last day to drop class without a “W” is April 1 In-class essay. Apply this quote from Sun Tzu's Art of War: Knowing the other and knowing yourself, In one hundred battles, no danger Not knowing the other, knowing oneself, one victory for one loss Not knowing the other, not knowing oneself, In every battle, certain defeat Homework: Begin reading The Illiad, chapters 1-6	Quiz 3 In-Class Essay 1 (Reading Analysis 1)
	Week 3
Mon. 4/6	The Iliad: Books 1-6 + Introduction (everyone prepare) Begin outlining pro	Quiz 4 (Reading Analysis 2)
Wed. 4/8	The Iliad: Books 7-10, 11-14 (groups 1&2 prepare) Outline 2 Workshop	Quiz 5 Prewriting for Essay 2 (Reading Analysis 2)
	Week 4
Mon. 4/13	The Iliad: Books , 15-18, 19-22 (groups 3&4 prepare) Draft 2 Workshop	Quiz 5 Draft of Essay 2 (Reading Analysis 2)
Wed. 4/15	The Iliad: Books 23-24 (Everyone prepare)	Quiz 6 Essay 2 due (Reading Analysis 2)

	Week 6
Mon. 4/20	The Things They Carried:  pp. 1-26 (The Things They Carried… Enemies)	Quiz 7 (Reading Analysis 3)
Wed. 4/22	The Things They Carried:  pp. 27-61	Quiz 8 In-Class Essay 3 (Reading Analysis 3)

	Week 7
Mon. 4/27	The Things They Carried:  pp. 62-85  -Discuss the prompt for essay 3 -How to approach a critical essay	Quiz 9 (Reading Analysis 3)
Wed. 4/29	The Things They Carried:  pp. 86-116  -Discuss essay 3 (con't) -write outline and first paragraph in class	Quiz 10 outline essay 3 (Reading Analysis 3)
	Week 8
Mon. 5/4	The Things They Carried:  pp. 117-161  - Begin research paper: discuss prompt -How to use a database	Quiz 11 (Reading Analysis 3) Essay 3 due
Wed. 5/6	The Things They Carried:  pp. 162-end of book -multiple choice test on Things (entire book) *** Last day to drop class with a “W” is May 8 -Research paper	Quiz 12 (Reading Analysis 4) multiple choice test on Things
	Week 9
Mon. 5/11	Reading: TBA -Research paper: workshop	Quiz 13 (Reading Analysis 4)
Wed. 5/13	Reading: TBA -Research paper: workshop	Quiz 14 (Reading Analysis 4)
	Finals Week
Mon. 5/18	Final Exam 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Bring your books to the exam, you'll need them	Research Paper due